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To: xzins
Its always good tho have a dictionary handy:

Establishment = 9. an established church, esp. the Church of England

Established church = a church that is recognized by law, and sometimes financially supported, as the official church of a nation.

and perhaps most enlightening of all-

Establishmentarian = 3. a supporter or adherent of the principle of the establishment of a church by state law; an advocate of state religion.

and as for respect:

respecting = regarding; concerning [1725-35]

Thus, the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion....' could be read as - "Congress shall make no law regarding the creation or implementation of an official state religion.", or so I was taught some forty plus years ago.

145 posted on 08/20/2003 2:00:49 PM PDT by Chuckster ("If honor were profitable, everybody would be honorable." Thomas More)
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To: Chuckster
AN.

Congress shall make no law respecting AN establishment of religion.

It isn't a verbal, it's a noun.
205 posted on 08/20/2003 2:20:20 PM PDT by xzins (In the Beginning was the Word)
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